Pioneer Days Reminiscences: May 18th, 1933
- Early History of the Village of McKellar
Supplied by one of the first pioneers and read at Y. P. S. Meeting in McKellar on March 27th
During the year of 1867 Mr. and Mrs. James McKeown, accompanied by Mr. Andrew Moore, arrived at Parry sound after travelling by team and wagon from Arnprior. They spent the winter at Blair’s. An arrival of this nature was very unusual to the settlers of Parry Sound who lived in thirteen log cabins. These people were used to welcome new people who came by way of boat. The old Waubano, owned by the Beatty Co., and piloted by Capt. Campbell, made the round trip from Collingwood, and brought to the early settlers provisions and mail during the summer months. In winter dog teams served to carry the mail. It was a pretty picture to watch the old side-wheeler steam into port and anchor to a pile of logs, which took the place of a dock. Messrs. John and Wm. Taylor always extended a very hearty welcome to any newcomers who were royally entertained at their homes. At Perry Sound the general store and post office were owned by the Beatty Co., occupied part of the block upon which the Beatty store now stands.
Many settlers spent the winter in Parry Sound before taking up land in this part of the district. One could not but enjoy the pleasant community evenings and social gatherings arranged by the Rev. Hanson, who was in charge of the Mission posted there. Miss L. Blair taught school and many young men and women took the opportunity to attend. During the fall of 1867 Messrs. Samuel Armstrong, John McKeown and Andrew Moore blazed a road from Parry Sound to what is now McKellar village.
When they arrived at the rapids which are now crossed by a bridge, one of the gentlemen remarked, “Wouldn't this be a delightful spot on which to build a village?” One night of their trip was passed at Bell Lake, under the shelter of a blanket stretched on poles. The wolves were very plentiful and a fire was kept burning to scare them away.
In the spring of 1868 these gentlemen moved north over their newly built road and settled on the banks of the two lakes that add so much to the beauty of the village. Mr. David Patterson also came to McKellar that summer and settled one mile north. During the next two or three years many settlers arrived to swell the population among whom were Mr. Henry Moffatt, who built a snug log cabin on the river bank during the summer of 1872. Mrs. James McKeown was the first white women north of Parry Sound.
A most pleasant feature of these early settlers was they felt their settlement incomplete without a church in which they might worship. The material for the first church built in 1869 was donated by them and it’s still stands to-day as a memorial to their faith. The Rev. Hanson came every three weeks from Parry Sound to preach. His week-ends were spent at the home of Mr. and Mrs. James McKeown. The first church trustees were Messrs. Chas. Stewart, David Patterson, Samuel Armstrong and John Armstrong. During the winter Rev. Hanson would often spend a week in the settlement and hold revival meetings. The settlers were so scattered that other forms of entertainment were not attempted. It might be interesting to note just here that the Rev. Hanson later become Lord Mayor of London, England. In 1870 the Rev. Samuel Trucker became the first preacher to be stationed at McKellar. There wasn't any parsonage at that time, so Mr. Trucker made his home at Mr. Chas. Stewart’s, Squaw Lake. These men had been friends before either of them came to this country. In 1870 Mr. William McKeown, Sr., had the honor of driving the first bridal party to the little church, when Miss Catherine Taylor and Mr. Samuel Armstrong and Miss Sarah McKeown and Mr. David Patterson were united in marriage.
During this year the first of a long line of “tea meetings” was held by the settlers. The entire proceeds of these meetings went to support of the church. Mr. Samuel Armstrong felt that McKellar could now support a store and so opened one in his home. The post office was also there. Mr. Robert Armstrong carried the mail from Parry Sound once a week and he considered himself fortunate if he could catch a ride behind a yoke of oxen, which was the chief means of transportation. At this time Mr. William McKeown, Sr., and Mr. Samuel Armstrong had the only two teams of horses in the settlement.
The following spring found settlers very busy clearing more land and widening the trails. During the summer the Armstrong brothers built a sawmill run by water-power. Mr. Peter Harvey, Sir., was employed as their first sawyer. The homes were able now to be appreciated. The Armstrong Bros. opened a black smith and carpenter shop and employment Mr. David Hart as blacksmith.
When Autumn came again it found the people much better prepared to withstand the severe winter. The next Spring Mrs. C. Brown opened a school in her home on the property now owned by Mr. Chas. Hurd. The members of the first school board were Messrs. Henry Moffatt, Henry Armstrong and Henry Watkins. A new general store was made for a public hall over it. New settlers arrived and the forest gave away to new clearings. The farmers had some stock shipped in and times were beginning to be prosperous. On the 5th of November the first social evening was held in the new hall. The supper and dance were arranged under the auspices of the Loyal Orange Lodge which had been organized during the summer.
The Armstrong Bros. put in their first lumber camp that winter and Mr. Samuel Armstrong opened a boarding house. The settlement felt itself growing and beside the annual “tea meetings” several social evenings were arranged. The young folks held skating, coasting and snow shoe parties, but these were always held close to the settlement as the danger of wolves was still common.
The Indians from Parry Island often visited McKellar coming by way of canoe. The squaws made baskets from grasses and reeds, while the braves hunted and fished. They tried to sell their product to the setters. A quarter of good venison could be bought for fifty cents.
More and more grain was grown each year and in 1877 a grist mill was built by the Armstrong Bros. with Mr. Saunder as the first miller. This was a much needed convenience and saved the farmer his very tedious journey to Parry Sound of Magnetawan to have his grain ground. Each farmer was striving to improve his stock and get the best possible returns from the soil. The competitive spirit soon grew and in the year 1877 the first fall fair was held. From the first, keen interest was taken and even to the present day, the same interest is taken to make the McKellar Fair one of the best in the district. In 1886 the Armstrong Bros. saw the need of a woolen mill and one was built, with Mr. John Orr in charge. Step by step, the village grew with farming and lumbering the principle industries. The threshing of the grain was done by hand until the year 1888, when Messrs. Ring and Trueax brought in the first threshing machine, known as the old tramper. Two years later Mr. Peter Harvey, Sr., replaced this machine with one driven by horse-power. Another point of this year was the election of the first Parliament of the most prominent citizen of the village, Mr. Samuel Armstrong. The village was growing and the farmers were becoming prosperous during these years, and with the times was built a new general store, a public stopping place and a post office. The mail had begun to arrive bi-weekly so further accommodation was necessary. In 1898 a cheese factory was built. The farmers joined under the co-operative system, yet it was jointly chartered by the President and Treasurer. This later led to trouble and factory operated but three years, although business was quite profitable. Mr. Robinson was the first cheese-maker.
This brings us to the twentieth century, of which much is known that there remains so little to tell. Times have changed; people have changed; and the country has changed. The forest has been thinned to make room for open fields cultivated by modern machinery. The game has almost disappeared; graded roads have been constructed, upon which the motor car takes the place of oxen and horses.
McKellar has lived through changing years. The thrifty village of the nineteenth century is still thrifty in the twentieth century. The hitching post has given way to the gas tank, but I am sure that whatever changes have taken place, the first settlers would still enjoy McKellar to-day as they did fifty years ago.
Many settlers spent the winter in Parry Sound before taking up land in this part of the district. One could not but enjoy the pleasant community evenings and social gatherings arranged by the Rev. Hanson, who was in charge of the Mission posted there. Miss L. Blair taught school and many young men and women took the opportunity to attend. During the fall of 1867 Messrs. Samuel Armstrong, John McKeown and Andrew Moore blazed a road from Parry Sound to what is now McKellar village.
When they arrived at the rapids which are now crossed by a bridge, one of the gentlemen remarked, “Wouldn't this be a delightful spot on which to build a village?” One night of their trip was passed at Bell Lake, under the shelter of a blanket stretched on poles. The wolves were very plentiful and a fire was kept burning to scare them away.
In the spring of 1868 these gentlemen moved north over their newly built road and settled on the banks of the two lakes that add so much to the beauty of the village. Mr. David Patterson also came to McKellar that summer and settled one mile north. During the next two or three years many settlers arrived to swell the population among whom were Mr. Henry Moffatt, who built a snug log cabin on the river bank during the summer of 1872. Mrs. James McKeown was the first white women north of Parry Sound.
A most pleasant feature of these early settlers was they felt their settlement incomplete without a church in which they might worship. The material for the first church built in 1869 was donated by them and it’s still stands to-day as a memorial to their faith. The Rev. Hanson came every three weeks from Parry Sound to preach. His week-ends were spent at the home of Mr. and Mrs. James McKeown. The first church trustees were Messrs. Chas. Stewart, David Patterson, Samuel Armstrong and John Armstrong. During the winter Rev. Hanson would often spend a week in the settlement and hold revival meetings. The settlers were so scattered that other forms of entertainment were not attempted. It might be interesting to note just here that the Rev. Hanson later become Lord Mayor of London, England. In 1870 the Rev. Samuel Trucker became the first preacher to be stationed at McKellar. There wasn't any parsonage at that time, so Mr. Trucker made his home at Mr. Chas. Stewart’s, Squaw Lake. These men had been friends before either of them came to this country. In 1870 Mr. William McKeown, Sr., had the honor of driving the first bridal party to the little church, when Miss Catherine Taylor and Mr. Samuel Armstrong and Miss Sarah McKeown and Mr. David Patterson were united in marriage.
During this year the first of a long line of “tea meetings” was held by the settlers. The entire proceeds of these meetings went to support of the church. Mr. Samuel Armstrong felt that McKellar could now support a store and so opened one in his home. The post office was also there. Mr. Robert Armstrong carried the mail from Parry Sound once a week and he considered himself fortunate if he could catch a ride behind a yoke of oxen, which was the chief means of transportation. At this time Mr. William McKeown, Sr., and Mr. Samuel Armstrong had the only two teams of horses in the settlement.
The following spring found settlers very busy clearing more land and widening the trails. During the summer the Armstrong brothers built a sawmill run by water-power. Mr. Peter Harvey, Sir., was employed as their first sawyer. The homes were able now to be appreciated. The Armstrong Bros. opened a black smith and carpenter shop and employment Mr. David Hart as blacksmith.
When Autumn came again it found the people much better prepared to withstand the severe winter. The next Spring Mrs. C. Brown opened a school in her home on the property now owned by Mr. Chas. Hurd. The members of the first school board were Messrs. Henry Moffatt, Henry Armstrong and Henry Watkins. A new general store was made for a public hall over it. New settlers arrived and the forest gave away to new clearings. The farmers had some stock shipped in and times were beginning to be prosperous. On the 5th of November the first social evening was held in the new hall. The supper and dance were arranged under the auspices of the Loyal Orange Lodge which had been organized during the summer.
The Armstrong Bros. put in their first lumber camp that winter and Mr. Samuel Armstrong opened a boarding house. The settlement felt itself growing and beside the annual “tea meetings” several social evenings were arranged. The young folks held skating, coasting and snow shoe parties, but these were always held close to the settlement as the danger of wolves was still common.
The Indians from Parry Island often visited McKellar coming by way of canoe. The squaws made baskets from grasses and reeds, while the braves hunted and fished. They tried to sell their product to the setters. A quarter of good venison could be bought for fifty cents.
More and more grain was grown each year and in 1877 a grist mill was built by the Armstrong Bros. with Mr. Saunder as the first miller. This was a much needed convenience and saved the farmer his very tedious journey to Parry Sound of Magnetawan to have his grain ground. Each farmer was striving to improve his stock and get the best possible returns from the soil. The competitive spirit soon grew and in the year 1877 the first fall fair was held. From the first, keen interest was taken and even to the present day, the same interest is taken to make the McKellar Fair one of the best in the district. In 1886 the Armstrong Bros. saw the need of a woolen mill and one was built, with Mr. John Orr in charge. Step by step, the village grew with farming and lumbering the principle industries. The threshing of the grain was done by hand until the year 1888, when Messrs. Ring and Trueax brought in the first threshing machine, known as the old tramper. Two years later Mr. Peter Harvey, Sr., replaced this machine with one driven by horse-power. Another point of this year was the election of the first Parliament of the most prominent citizen of the village, Mr. Samuel Armstrong. The village was growing and the farmers were becoming prosperous during these years, and with the times was built a new general store, a public stopping place and a post office. The mail had begun to arrive bi-weekly so further accommodation was necessary. In 1898 a cheese factory was built. The farmers joined under the co-operative system, yet it was jointly chartered by the President and Treasurer. This later led to trouble and factory operated but three years, although business was quite profitable. Mr. Robinson was the first cheese-maker.
This brings us to the twentieth century, of which much is known that there remains so little to tell. Times have changed; people have changed; and the country has changed. The forest has been thinned to make room for open fields cultivated by modern machinery. The game has almost disappeared; graded roads have been constructed, upon which the motor car takes the place of oxen and horses.
McKellar has lived through changing years. The thrifty village of the nineteenth century is still thrifty in the twentieth century. The hitching post has given way to the gas tank, but I am sure that whatever changes have taken place, the first settlers would still enjoy McKellar to-day as they did fifty years ago.